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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/26803354">From Ghouls to Vampires</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/Emerald_Pidge/pseuds/Emerald_Pidge'>Emerald_Pidge</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Tokyo Ghoul, Twilight Series - Stephenie Meyer</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-10-04</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-10-06</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-06 08:01:08</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Teen And Up Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>2</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>4,023</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/26803354</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/Emerald_Pidge/pseuds/Emerald_Pidge</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>Ellen Hewitt is a ghoul. She has lived an incredibly sheltered life with parents who are powerful and controlling. But she can't stand the way they live, the way she lives. But with the help of an estranged aunt she's running away. She's going to school for the first time, far, far away from her family. (Maybe Bella x OC , maybe just friendship - "choosing my family")</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>2</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>1. Chapter 1</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>I left early in the morning.  I packed my backpack during the small hours of the morning. I would have packed sooner, but I feared it being found. I planned what I would take in my head thoroughly enough. I was going light. I took a couple changes of clothes, my laptop, chargers, passport and IDs, some money - what little I had. That was it. Everything else I would buy new. I couldn't take my toothbrush, I didn't want my family to realise just how far, or for how long, I was leaving.<br/>
I wore as many layers as I could, I could only fit so much in my pack. Being autumn it wasn't so bad to be extra warm. I had a t-shirt, hidden by a jumper with a hoodie over the top. I had my big boots on and two layers of socks. I tied my long auburn hair up and put it under a beanie. I considered chopping it off, but again I didn't want anyone to think anything was strange.<br/>
I grabbed the letters Cece had sent me. Cece, my aunt, was the one helping facilitate my escape. At 17, with little work experience, and being homeschooled my whole life, I was so overwhelmingly thankful for her. I wanted to burn the letters Cece had given me, so no one would find them. But I had no way to make random inconspicuous fires. I settled for hiding them at the back of the drawer in my bed stand. But I had no choice now, I couldn’t leave any evidence. The letters were addressed to a PO box, I had shut that down this week.<br/>
I took the bundle and, having no room left in my pack, contented myself to hold them.<br/>
The sky was lightning to greyish blue outside, but the sun wasn’t quite up yet. I looked at my coat and pulled it slowly on. I was worried the rustling would wake my parents down the hallway.<br/>
We lived in a relatively large and detached house. Surrounded by empty and cold grass that, as I looked out of my window, seemed almost blue in the autumn haze. Water had gathered on the outside of my window. Large dark evergreen trees hemmed the edge of our grounds.<br/>
I took a deep breath. I was ready. The floorboards were old and worn and they creaked. I Listened with everything I had. I heard my parents breathing. I knew they were asleep. I was straining myself to hear anything and everything. Creeping through the big old house. Where no one but us three now lived. Well. Now those two lived.<br/>
We rarely had guests. And when we did, they were… people I would have rather not had in my house. The house was inherited, I think all my parents' wealth is.<br/>
I came to the stairs. The trickiest bit. Even though the old house was terrible at keeping out the cold,I still felt too warm in my jacket and coat. Sweat gathered at the neckline of my jumper. I felt silly but I just couldn’t afford to be caught. I would never get the opportunity again. They might even find Cece, who had escaped the family legacy over a decade ago. She was taking a huge risk helping me. I took it steady, ever straining to hear if my parents stirred.<br/>
I heard the cat pacing in the kitchen. She knew someone was stirring. I closed my eyes and prayed she wouldn’t start yowling. I was almost at the bottom of the stairs when she started scratching the kitchen door, and meowing. Making a snap decision I hopped as lightly as I could over to the offending door opening it gently. She was free and started to  meow even more loudly, for food.<br/>
“Hush hush,” I don’t know why I thought that would work. I could hear my parents stir.  “No shush shh.” She rubbed against my legs. Their bed creaked. There was nothing for it, I bolted through the kitchen. I must have made a racket, but I couldn’t be caught. Opening the back door, and leaving it open, I slipped on the wet grass. I heard their bedroom door open and I scrambled up, having collected my now damp letters.<br/>
I bolted for the tree line as fast as I could. Coming up to the high wrought iron spiked fence, I leapt and pulled myself up and over one handed. I landed pretty hard, but not too loudly.<br/>
And then I ran. My backpack was bouncing uncomfortably. I made it to the street the taxi was to pick me up from, the quicker I got into the cab and cut off my scent trail for my parents to follow the better. I saw the taxi and with a slight hesitation I approached the window.<br/>
The window wound down and the middle-aged man asked me if I was Elle Stephens. I agreed that I was. My real name was Ellen Hewitt. I got in the back seat. The taxi rumbled along. The streets were empty. I kept looking out the back window. What did my home look like right now? Had my parents woken up? Maybe the just rolled over and went back to sleep. The driver tried to talk to me.<br/>
“Early flight?”<br/>
“Yeah.”<br/>
“You run here?”<br/>
“Yeah.”<br/>
“You sleep in, haha,”<br/>
“Yeah.”<br/>
Honestly I didn’t know what he wanted from me. I rarely do to be honest. I was still out of breath and scared for my life. We drove for an hour and half. Mostly in silence. The driver kept looking at me in the rear-view mirror. He looked concerned. I didn’t blame him. I could see myself, and I looked young and sweaty and disheveled and panicked.<br/>
We approached the airport. It was still some time before my flight. My flight was to take me to Cece, to a little town named Forks. The driver told me the fare, and I dug my purse out of my coat’s inner pocket and paid him.<br/>
The airport was intimidating. But I walked quickly away from the taxi as if I knew where I was going.  I didn’t want him to think about me anymore than he had to. I followed the signs. My passport had been organised by Cece. It said I was me, but older. Old enough to travel by myself. I didn’t technically exist. I didn’t have a birth certificate, or medical records, or a passport. It makes sense, my family, by necessity, where incredibly secretive. But I couldn’t live with them any more.<br/>
I made it through, desperately trying, and failing, to keep my endless worry off of my face. I felt for sure that any moment my parents would realise I was missing, know, somehow, that I had planned to catch a plane and were organising their whole force of ghouls to fan out and find me. They would find me in hours I guessed. Certainly no more than a day? They knew a lot of people, and had a lot of power over those people.<br/>
Somehow, everything worked. I got through to board the plane. I didn’t smell, hear, or see a single ghoul. And then I was miles in the sky, and I have never felt so utterly safe.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0002"><h2>2. Chapter 2</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>Ellen touches down in Forks, meets her aunt and finds where she'll be living.</p>
          </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>The plane touched down at about 7.30 pm. I expected it to feel much weirder than it was. But it was normal... normal air, sky, clouds. The plants looked the same. As did the puddles on the ground. I tried to calm myself and appear normal and relaxed. But I was completely on high alert. I couldn't stop looking about, expecting to see a familiar face, and run for my life - again. The rest of passengers on the plane shuffled down the aisle. I waited until the back of the line reached me, not wanting to draw attention to myself. <br/>     I kept my ears open, I was straining to hear any voice I knew. The passport line was interminable. I tried to stay still but couldn't help checking over my shoulder every few seconds. I was sure I would be caught out for being shifty.  I kept looking at my passport. It had arrived, in secret, months ago. I was fearful about using it for the first time. I felt like it must not work, like everything would fall apart at the first step. <br/>     Finally, face to face with the bored man checking my passport, my heartbeat was strong in my ears. Which made me even more anxious,  it drowned out all other sounds, how would I hear anyone approaching? <br/>     A full 40 minutes later I saw her. Cece. I had never seen this woman before, but we had written to each other. She and my mum had cut ties years ago. Maybe even decades. Just like I was now. <br/>     She smiled toothily and hugged me. It wasn't entirely unpleasant... I still wish I had hugged her back properly. She had warm brown hair and a skinny pink and purple scarf that looked like it couldn't properly protect her from the wind. <br/>     My aunt Cece chatted to me. I tried to listen and be responsive, but... I was looking around. I was SURE they would find me. My parents were... resourceful. We got into her car. It was small and warm, and it smelled like plastic. I put my backpack on my lap.<br/>     "Not a lot of stuff, then?" She had an American accent, although being non-native I couldn't tell from where. I was led to believe she had grown up in the UK, alongside my mother, and escaped here herself when she was younger than me. I was 17 and I couldn't fathom doing what I just did, younger and without knowing anyone. <br/>     "I wanted to go lightly." I replied quietly. I wasn't uncomfortable around her - an unusual feeling for me. I can't really explain it... she had an easy manner. A kindness, a warmness. I was still overwhelmed by the open space of the giant parking lot. Imagining danger from everywhere. She laid a hand on my shoulder.<br/>     "They won't find you. No one found me in 12 years. No one will find you." It was easy for her to say, but now, with me, there was an extra paper trail. More evidence. It was like when I was 10, and we were on a "family" trip to some ruins. We had to go over a rickety bridge, but I was too afraid. My family tried to coax me onto it. <br/>     "it's been standing for 500 years, it's not about to fall now" - yeah but there's a first time for everything, especially bridges collapsing!<br/>     "Look, grown ups are much heavier than you and it’s not collapsing now" - yeah but what if the weight limit is two grown-ups and one ten year old kid?!<br/>     But, once we were in the car, my aunt followed up with<br/>      "and if they do find us, I will protect you with everything I have."  And that was it. It was warm in the car and I felt the thick metal shell protecting me from outside. It started to rain and the car felt cozy and peaceful. I cried, small at first, but I had to give in to it. Cece only put her hand on my shoulder again. I cried for relief, for fear, for leaving my parents behind, whom, despite it all, I still loved.<br/>     We drove for some hours into the night. Necessarily the airport we had chosen to meet at was far away from where I would be staying. We stayed in a cheapish hotel, Cece chatting on and on about what she had learned about Forks - the town I was moving to, picked because of its small and inconsequential nature. It was small, leafy and rainy. There was a coast line and a lot of hiking. There were plenty of kids my age and a good high school. <br/>     We drove the car back to the rental place and walked to the train station. Not for the last time she mentioned my prudence in bringing only the small suitcase. The train took us to a bigger city about 2 hours drive from my new town. We found Cece's actual car in the car park- I mean car lot -, this time putting my suitcase in the back seat, and drove off. <br/>We were both exhausted from so much travelling, at least we must have been,  but Cece seemed perpetually happy and energetic. <br/>     We finally arrived, some 4000 miles from where I had lived my whole life. We arrived at Cece's flat- apartment. It was one of the only apartment blocks in town and it was much smaller than I expected. It looked more like a house that had been converted into apartments. It was a yellow clapboard, something I had never seen before now. It was detached and surrounded by green rough lawn and scrub, despite being on a busy enough street. <br/>     The apartment was, in total, 3 rooms. Open living and kitchen, bathroom and bedroom. It was on the first floor - sorry - second floor.  We had to go through the front door then up a flight of stairs.  <br/>     "You know," she called out from below, "I was sceptical at first, but good thinking only bringing the one small bag." I smiled at her. She was repeating herself. I felt guilty at leaving the burden of conversation on her, but I didn't really know what to add. And the stairs were steep.<br/>     Cece didn't live in the apartment herself. She had rented it for me. I told her I would pay rent as soon as I had a job. She told me not to worry about it. To get an education first.  I don't know anything about immigration, or citizenship. But Cece managed it for me. I had a spot in the school, I would be taking a citizenship test. All to escape my parents. I couldn't thank    Cece enough.<br/>     "I just wish I'd've had someone to help me out." Was her reply as she turned her head to look around the apartment. It was sparsely furnished, it hardly felt more homely than the hotel room. The bedroom was just a bare mattress on a bed frame, with a cheap looking night stand and a plastic looking wardrobe. I moved my suitcase into the room. I felt like crying again. I missed my duvet and -childishly- my stuffed animals. I had brought clothes, a charger, my laptop and some books. <br/>     "Wait right here." Cece chimed. I heard her rapid footsteps down the stairs. I looked at the kitchen. The fridge hadn't been turned on. As I wondered about the necessity of turning it on now, I heard a knock on the door. Expecting Cece I jumped a little when I saw someone I didn't know. An older woman with a long flowery dress and cable knit cardigan. I briefly wondered if she had knitted it herself. <br/>     "I see you're settling in already, I'm the landlady I live on the ground floor."<br/>     "Oh," I was suddenly struck with the kind of fear I imagine you get at job interviews "it's lovely to meet you." I said as I awkwardly fiddled with the zip on my puffy jacket. <br/>     "And you. It's nice to know that a young respectable young woman will be living here. And I heard about your family troubles, but make no fuss here, and you'll be just right." I was utterly flustered. Was that a threat or a comfort? What family troubles did she know about? I briefly had an insane moment where I thought she might also be a ghoul but she didn't smell exactly right. <br/>     "Th-thank you." I said eventually, still unsure what she wanted from me. "I'm Ellen, by the way."<br/>     "Yes I know, dear" I wondered if I'd offended her. She was the opposite of Cece, and I didn't like her. I wanted her to leave. I wanted her to tell me her name. But she just stood there leaning on her stick as if it was my turn to talk.<br/>     "Thank you, for letting me stay here." I said lamely. She just smiled at me. Then I heard my aunt's footsteps once again. She was huffing from the exertion of carrying something unwieldy upstairs. <br/>     "Tada!" she said in a wavering voice. She had giant shiny plastic covered white things, one under each arm."Oh!" she said upon seeing the landlady "Mrs Hill! Good to see you." Mrs Hill, Mrs Hill, Mrs Hill I chanted in my brain, determined not to forget it. <br/>     "Yes, well, I'm still here. I do own the place" I was completely in awe, did everything offend this lady? Cece just smiled her brilliant Cece smile,<br/>     "Well of course Mrs Hill. Tell me, how have you been?"<br/>     "Terrible. My ankles are swollen and my hip is awfully painful. I was just saying it's an awful inconvenience to me to have to rent out my top floor, but I don't really have a choice with Fred being gone, bless his soul, and I suppose it's alright," she turned on me and continued, I swear without taking a single breath, " you look like a good sort, but you'd better live up to how you look, I won't be dealing with anything untoward, but my hip has been hurting, and I wouldn't mind a sit down, haven't you got any furniture?" There were in fact a few wooden chairs that Mrs Hill must have owned herself and kept in the apartment..."I would have thought you'd like some furniture, very odd that you don't have any." I thought she would talk forever and somehow I felt guilty and attacked and I wasn't really sure what I had done wrong. <br/>     "I am sorry Mrs Hill, " Cece chimed in even though Mrs Hill was still looking at me. Thankfully her grey eyes turned to Cece "Poor Ellen doesn't have any furniture of her own yet, we were going to go shopping today to get some essentials, then maybe some more over the weekend."<br/>     "Oh well I suppose that's ok. Make sure you get somewhere to sit, my old hips can't take it. Mind you, I don't want to be spending a lot of time up here." She said this so severely I felt like reassuring her she wouldn't be, but I didn't know how to do that without suggesting I didn't WANT her up here - which, in fairness, I didn't.  She just stayed standing there.<br/>"I'm sure you don't, Mrs Hill." She looked at Cece and smiled a little kindly, and I felt in awe of Cece and her abilities. Mrs Hill didn't say anything and I started to worry about her. "Mrs Hill, you don't by any chance have the keys for Ellen do you?"<br/>     "Oh, of course," Suddenly it was like Mrs Hill was a person again. "Right here," In a papery hand she held out a single silver key, I took it from her, thanking her. "If that's all, I think I'll stay downstairs, thank you kindly" As if we had asked her to help us move furniture. "These stairs are no joke with my hips." I was starting to suspect there was nothing wrong with her hips. <br/>     She toddled off and I heard her lumbering steps as she took them one at a time. <br/> "In any case, Ellen, your first housewarming gift! Unclothed bed clothes!" I smiled at Cece and realised that the packages were tightly bound white pillows and a thick duvet, or I suppose, comforter?<br/>     She wandered over to the fridge and switched it on, she placed a brown paper package in the drawer normally reserved for vegetables. I wondered if I should fill it with food, in case Mrs Hill ever looked inside it. <br/> "I hope you're not too tired, we can go and pick out some more bits a pieces." I was instantly anxious, I didn't have any money. I had never been allowed even a Saturday job back home, and didn't get anything like pocket money. I was completely helpless. <br/>"Are you sure Cece? I... can't really afford..."<br/>"Ellen, do you think I will let my niece sleep on a bare mattress. This is what family is for" She held my hand then. My instinct was to pull away but it was warm and smooth. <br/>    We shopped for most of the day, I felt awkward, but we hit up the charity shops and dollar stores in the near-by city. I hoped I wasn't asking for too much money. Having little experience with money, and the conversion rate meant I was out of my depth to judge how expensive things were. We picked up sheets, covers, towels, and a chunky blanket. A lamp, a stand up mirror , a rug and even a small houseplant. We couldn't fit the desk in the car, they would deliver it later for a fee, but we managed a flat pack desk chair. We went around the dollar store and bought small fairy lights and some fake candles. Lastly we went to the supermarket and got bathing and cleaning supplies. I didn't even know what cleaning stuff I would need, I was grateful for Cece’s knowledge. <br/>     I felt a bit giddy at all this new stuff, and it was stuff that I liked. We spent the afternoon hauling it all up and deciding where it should all go. We struggled with putting the desk chair together, in all honesty I think it still might be back to front somehow. We put away the cleaning stuff in the cupboard under the sink, and the towels in the towel rack in the bathroom. We stuck the fairy lights over the bed after putting the covers on. "Really you should wash the bed clothes first, but I'm sure it's not actually a big deal." <br/>After hours of work, the apartment still looked empty. It never occurred to me how much stuff you need to fill a place up. I silently wondered how expensive armchairs and sofas were. Never mind electronics like speakers or a tv. I was just glad I had my phone and laptop. Same handset but a new contract courtesy of Cece, once again. I honestly had no idea how to pay her back.<br/>     "Don't even think of paying me back!" She said with a smile "These gifts do not come with a condition." We were sitting at the Formica table and she pulled out the package from the fridge. This was also what I was relying on her for. Not just my phone bill and rent, but sustenance. We ate in silence. She remarked that it was getting late. I didn't want her to leave. Tomorrow would be Monday and she would drive me to my first day at my new school if I wanted her too. I did. I didn't want to get lost. She put some instant coffee in one of my cupboards. "Damn, we forgot cups." She smiled, at me almost laughing. She hugged me again. I locked the door behind her. <br/>     I changed into my pyjamas, and brushed my teeth and my hair. I pulled my new covers over me, which smelled like plastic. I stared at the white ceiling and was oddly comforted by the rain outside. The crying burbled out of me all at once. I tried to be quiet, I didn't want Hill hearing me. I was determined not to attract HER attention. I tried to look forward to tomorrow. I didn't know what time it was. I was thinking about an alarm clock, and cups, and how I didn't know which laundry detergent I wanted. I felt utterly homesick. Like I had made a horrible mistake in leaving. I wasn't ready, and worse I was a burden on Cece. I tried to remind myself of all the platitudes she had given me throughout the last two days. And how she had orchestrated my removal in the first place. She was committed to me. I felt slightly comforted.</p>
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